Cable-railway grip and crossing device



(No Model.) 3 Sheets-Sheet 1.

J. J. GRAPE.

CABLE RAILWAY GRIP AND CROSSING DEVICE.

No. 394,356. Patented Dec. 11, 1888.

3 Sheets-Sheet 2.

(No Model.)

J. J. GRAPF.

CABLE RAILWAY GRIP AND CROSSING DEVICE. No. 394,356.

Patented De0. 11, 1888.

3 Sheets-Sheet 3.

(No Model.)

J. J. GRAFF.

CABLE RAILWAY GRIP AND CROSSING DEVICE.

No. 394,356. Patented Dec. 11, 1888.

N. PETERS. Phowilflwgraphcr. Washmgloh. u c.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JUSTIN JOSEPH GRAFF, OF SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA.

CABLE-RAILWAY GRIP AND CROSSING DEVICE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 394,356, dated December 11, 1888.

Application filed August 17, 1888. gerial No. 283,036. (No model.)

.To aZZ whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, JUs'rIN JosEPH GRAFF, of the city and county of San Francisco, State of (,alifornia, have invented an Improvement in Cable-Railway Grips and Crossing Devices; and I hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the same.

My invention relates to a cable-railway grip and mechanism whereby the grip may be closed and opened, and when open maybe raised above the line of a second cable which crosses the first one transversely.

My present invention relates to certain details of construction, which will be more fully explained by reference to the accompanying drawings, in which Figure l. is an elevation of my grip taken from one side, a portion of the inclosing-casing near the bottom being broken away. Fig. 2 is an elevation from the opposite side with parts broken away. Fig. 3 is a vertical transverse section taken centrally through the grip, which is shown closed. Fig. 4 is a vertical section of the grip, showing it open and raised above the transverse cable which it is to cross. Fig. 5 is a horizontal section taken through .00 at of Fig. 4. Fig. 6 is a horizontal section taken through y g of Fig. 4. Fig. 7 is an enlarged view of one of the jaws in transverse section. Fig. 8 is a perspective view of the slidin exterior yoke through which the whole of the grip mechanism may be raised and lowered by the lever. Fig. 9 is a side elevation, showing a section of the transverse tunnel and cable and the position or the grip-supporting rollers on the inclined guides while the grip is crossing the trans verse tube.

This invention is an improvement upon a mechanism for which Letters Patent were allowed to me July 2, 1888.

My present invention relates to certain details in the construction of the gripping mechanism.

A is the cable-railway tube or tunnel in which the endless traveling cable B runs, this cable being supported upon pulleys in the tunnel in the usual way, but not here shown.

D is a transverse cable crossing above the cable B,over which it is necessary to carry the grip of the first-described line. The main frame F of the grip is secured to the timbers E of the dummy or car, and this frame extends downward, so as to support the gripping-jaws in the proper position for seizing the endless traveling cable B, by which the car is to be propelled.

Vithin the main frame F is a vertically-sliding supplementary frame, 1, which carries the grip-jaws I and J at its lower end. The jaw I is attached to the frame G in any suitable manner by pins or bolts passing through its upper part, as described in my former application and as shown in Fig. 7, and the jaw J has its upper edge hinged to said frame G, so that it may open or close with relation to the jaw I. These jaws are grooved or have grooved shoes within them of such shape as to grasp and firmly hold the cable when they are closed, and they are also provided with loose balls a, turning in sockets within thejaws, which are so deep that only a small portion. of the balls are presented above the surface of the interior of the jaws. These balls turn loosely within their sockets and serve to relieve the friction upon the cable when the jaws are separated from each other for the purpose of allowing the car to stop; but when the jaws are forcibly closed there is so little of the balls exposed that the compression will admit of the jaws closing firmly upon the cable, the strands of which will yield a little to the projecting balls, while the heavy pressure will produce friction enough within their sockets to prevent their rotation after the jaws are closed. hen the jaws are open they are forced apart by the action of the spring 1', fixed between them and pressing outwardly, so as to press them apart as soon as they are released from the mechanism which closes them. This mechanism consists, as in my former applica tion, of wedge shaped plate L and slide U, which slide up and down in the frame G in suitable guides, so that they pass down behind the jaws I and J, respectively.

The jaw I is forced. to or from the jaw J by a wedge-shaped plate, L, moving down or up behind the jaw I. \Vhile this movement of the jaw I is produced, the opposite jaw, .I, is held firmly in place by means of the slide U, which is forced down behind it and remains in this position during the ordinary travel of the car.

The movement of the wedge L is directed by means of a slide, G, which moves in guides in a slot in the main frame F and has its lower end connected with the wedge L in the following manner: Across the lower end of the slide G is fixed a transverse bar, H, and the upper end of the wedge L has a narrow upwardly-projecting portion, L, to the upper end of which is fixed a socket, M, to receive a transversely-sliding bolt, N, which travels horizontally in guides upon the bar II. There is suffi cient space behind the bar H to allow the slide L to move up into this space when it is desired to raise it to release the jaw I. \Yhen the bolt N enters the socket M, it will be manifest that the wedge L will be connected with the bar II and the slide G, and will therefore be moved in unison with the slide G. The upper end of the slide G is connected by a link, 0, with the short arm of the lever P, which is fulcrumed to the main frame, as shown at Q, and by means of this lever, the long arm of which extends up to a point within reach of the gripman, the slide G and the wedge L may be raised sufficiently to allow the, jaw I to be forced away from the jaw J by thev action of the spring 4", this movement being suflicient to release the cable and allow it to run freely between. the jaws when it is desired to stop the car. \Vhen it is desired to start the car, it is only necessary to force the slide G an d the wedge L downward to again force the jaw I toward the jaw J sufficiently to grip the cable. During these operations the jaw J remains unmoved, its slideU not partaking at this time of any of the movements of the wedge L; Upon the sliding frame G of thegrip, as shown in Fig. 1, is a roller, R, this roller projecting sufticiently so that when it reaches a point near the transverse crossing cable D (shown in Figs. 3 and 4) it will engage the incline T upon.

the side of the cable tube or tunnel, and as it runs up this incline it will first open the gripping-jaws to release the cable B entirely, and will then raise the whole of the sliding frame G, carrying with it the gripping-jaws until they are above the line of the transverse cable D,which is to be crossed. This result is effected as follows: The roller R, engaging the incline T, as shown in Fig. 4, on the right-hand side, commences to travel up this incline, and as it is pivoted to the frame G, carrying the slide U, which closes and locks the jaw J, its first upward movement carries this slide upward until it is above the line of the hinges of the swing- 4 ing jaw J which is immediately forced backing-bolt N, and this is done as follows: Upon the side of the main frame, as shown in Fig. 1, is fulcrumed the bent lever-arm IV, the long arm of which, extends toward the centerot' the slide U, which has a pin, Z, projecting outwardly into the slot Z7, which is made in the short arm of this lever. The first upward movement of the slide U causes the pin Z to engage with the circular enlargement in the lower portion of the slot b, and it thus raises the lever \V upward simultaneously with its own upward movement. The fulcrum pin or shaft 0 of the lever \Y extends through the frame-work to the opposite side, where it has firmly fixed to it a lever-arm, (1. (Shown in dotted lines in Fig. 1 and in full. lines in Fig. 2.) The upward movement of the lever \V thus throws the arm d outward, and its upper end is slotted, so as to be engaged by a pin, 6, Fig. 2, which projects from the end of the bolt N. The first upward movement of the slide U thus acts to withdraw the bolt N from the socket M, leaving the wedge L free to be moved upward independentof the slide G,

from which it is thus released, and the further upward movement of the roller R and the slide U carries the sliding frame G, and with it both gripping-j aws and the wedge and slide by which they are operated, until the whole of the gripping device is lifted into the line of the transverse cable D, which it is desired to cross, as shown plainly in Fig. 4-. The slot Z) in the short arm of the lever \V allows the pin Z to continue to travel upward, while the frame G and grip complete their upward movement. The object of the roller S upon the opposite side is to insure apositive movementespeeially a downward movementof the slide L when it is necessary to return the grip to the proper position for again grasping its own cable, B, after the cable D has been passed, and for this purpose it engages a projecting incline upon its own side of the tube and similar to that shown in Fig. 4 at T. This incline and roller are not shown in Fig. 4.

It is sometimes desirable to raise the grip mechanism at some other point than where a cable-crossing is situated, and especially if.

the cable should become stranded, or the strand bunch up, so that they could not ordinarily pass the grip. For this purpose it will be necessary to temporarily connect the frame G, which carries the grip-jaws,with the lever I This is done as follows: Around the upper part of the main frame F is a yoke, f, (shown plainly in Figs. 1., 2, and 8,) and this yoke has connecting-bars g at the ends, these bars extending downwardly, and being c011- nected by straps h with the outer portion, G, of the moving frame G, as shown plainly in Fig, 1. To the center of the side bars of the yoke f are pivoted links 2', which are connected by pins with the lever-arms j, as shown in Figs. 1 and 2. The outer ends of these leverarms are fulcrumed to the frame F, as shown at 7:, and they have links Z pivoted to them at points nearer to their fulcrums k than to the opposite ends of the levers j. The griplever P has its short arm extended beyond the links 0, by which the slide G is moved, as previously described, and the outer end of this lever is slotted, as shown at m, so as to admit the pin it upon the end of the link Z. \Vhen it is desired to raise the gripping-jaws at any other point than where the automatic devices are fixed, it is only necessary to swing the link Z so that the pin a falls into the slot m upon the lever P, and this arm is much longer than the one to which the links are connected it will be manifest that the movement of the yoke will first take place, and through it the slide U and the wedge I, are raised, thus opening the gripping-jaw J, and acting through the bent lever A and arm (I to withdraw the bolt N and release the wedge L, as previously described, when the movement is automaticallyproduced. The remainder of the movement is the same as previously described.

It will be manifest that the transverse cable I), which is to be crossed, musthave a tube or tunnel in which it travels, and that the inclined guides T, upon which the roller R travels to raise the grip mechanism above the cable I), must terminate upon the side of this tunnel. If, however, no provision. were made for preventin the grip from falling, it would immediately drop by reason of its weight as soon as the roller R passed off the end of the guide T; and in order to prevent this I have shown a second roller, R, pivoted at the forward edge of the vertically-moving casing, which moves with the roller R, Figs. 8 and .J. The length of the grip is such that this roller R will have passed across the tube of the cross iug cable 1) before the roller R has left the inclined guide T, and this roller R will engage another guide, T, upon the opposite side of the tunnel before the roller R has left the guide T, and will thus hold the grip mechanism up until the roller R has crossed the transverse tunnel and has again engaged the guides upon the opposite sides, by which the grip is carried down to its normal position and ready to take hold of its own cable, B, as is shown more fully in Fi 5).

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

1. In a cable-railway grip, the main frame fiXed to and supported from the car, a supplemental frame sliding vertically within the main frame and having the gripping-jaws connected with its lower end, and the verticallysliding wedge and slide,whereby the jaws are opened and closed, in combination with the lever IV, the arm (1, the sliding bolt operated by said arm, and the pin Z, by which the lever is moved, substantiallyas and for the purpose herein described.

2. In a cable-railway grip, the main frame fixed to an d supported by the car, the grippingjaws suspended from its lower end, and the vertically-moving wedge and slide, by which said jaws are opened and closed, in combination with the sliding frame G, the lever \V, and the arm (I, fixed to a shaft passing through the grip-frame, the sliding lockingbolt N, and the pin Z, substantially as and for the purpose herein described.

3. In a cable-railway grip, the stationary frame fixed to and supported from the caror dummy, the gripping-jaws suspended from its lower edge, the vertically-s1iding wedge and slide, whereby said jaws are opened and closed, the frame G, and the slide G, in combination with the yoke f, inclosing the main frame and connected with the vertically-sliding portion U, the operatingdever P, and the intern'iediate connecting levers and links, substantially as herein described.

4-, In a cable-railway grip, the main stationary frame supported upon the car or dummy, and the vertically-moving frame G, with the yoke f and con nectin g-bars in combination. with the lever connected with the yoke, and the swinging link 01, whereby said lever may be connected with or detached from the operating-lever I substantially as herein described.

5. In a cable-railway grip, the main frame secured to the car or dummy, the grippingjaws depending from its lower end, the wedge and slide, whereby said jaws are opened or closed, the vertically-1novii1g frame G, the roller R, and the incline T, in combination with the supplementary roller R and the supplementary guide T, whereby the grip is supported while the roller R is crossing the transversc cable, substantially as herein described.

In witness whereof I have hereunto set my hand.

J USTI) JOSEPH GRAFF.

\Vitnesses:

S. H. NoURsE, H. 0. LEE. 

